a tempo
return to previous tempo
accelerando
becoming quicker
accent (>)
a stressed note or chord
ad libitum
at the liberty of the performer
agitato
agitated
alla, all’
in the manner of
allargando
becoming slower, broader
allegretto
fairly fast (a little slower than allegro)
adagio
a slow tempo (between andante and largo)
allegro
fast
andante
moderately slowly; at a wakling pace
andantino
a little faster than andante
animato
lively, animated
arco
for stringed instruments: resume bowing after a pizzicato passage
assai
much, very
attacca
proceed without a break
ben, bene
well
bewegt
agitated, excited
blues scale
a smajor scale in which the 3rd, 7th, and sometimes the 5th degrees are lowered
brillante
brilliant
cantabile
in a singing style
clusters
chords consisting of a combo of at least 3 adjacents notes of any scale
col, coll’, colla, colle
with
comodo, commodo
at an easy, comfortable tempo
con
with
con brio
with vigour or spirit
con fuoco
with fire
con espressione
with expressoin
con grazia
with grace
con moto
with movement
con pedale, Ped.
with pedal
con sordino
with mute
crescendo, cresc.
becoming louder
da capo, D.C.
from the beginning
dal segno, D.S.
from the sign
decrescendo, decresc.
becoming softer
diminuendo, dim.
becoming softer
dolce
sweet
dolente
sad
e, ed
and
espressivo
expression, with expression
fermata
pause; hold note or rest longer than written value
fine
the end
forte (f)
loud
fortissimio
very loud
giocoso
humorous, joyful
grandioso
grand, grandiose
grave
slow and solemn
grazioso
graceful
langsam
slow
largamente
broadly
larghetto
not as slow as largo
largo
very slow and broad
legato
smoothly
leger
light, lightly
leggiero
light, nimble, quick
lentement
slowly
lento
slow
l’istesso tempo
the same tempo
loco
return to normal register
ma
but
maestoso
majestic
mano destra, M.D.
right hand
mano sinistra, M.S.
left hand
marcato
marked or stressed
martellato
strongly accented, hammered
massig
moderate, moderately
meno
less
meno mosso
less movement, slower
mesto
sad, mournful
mezzo forte
moderately loud
mezzo piano
moderately soft
mit
and
mit Ausdruck
with expresssion
M.M.
metronome marking (Maelzel’s Metronome)
moderato
at a moderate tempo
modere
at a moderate tempo
molto
much, very
morendo
dying, fading away
mouvement
tempo, motion
non
not
non troppo
not too much
ottava, 8va
the interval of an octave
octatonic scale
an eight note scale consisting of a strict alteration of tones and semitones
pedale, Ped.
pedal
pentatonic scale
a five note scale (one example found on the black keys of the keyboard)
pesante
weighty, with emphasis
piano (p)
soft
pianissimo (pp)
very soft
piu
more
piu mosso
more movement, quicker
pizzicato
for stringed instruments: pluck the string instead of bowing
poco
little
poco a poco
little by little
polychords
a combo of 2 or more different chords
presto
very fast
prestissimo
as fast as possible
prima, primo
first; the upper part of a duet
prima volta
first time
quartal chords
chords built on a series of 4ths
quasi
almost, as if
rallentando, rall.
slowing down
repeat signs
repeat the music between the signs
ritenuto
suddenly slower, held back
ritardando, rit.
slowing down gradually
rubato
a flexible tempo using slight variations of speed to enhance musical expression
scherzando
playful
schnell
fast
seconda, secondo
second; the lower part of a duet
seconda volta
second time
sehr
very
semplice
simple
sempre
always, continuously
senza
without
seventh (7th) chords
chords consisting of a root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th
sforzando (sf, sfz)
a sudden strong accent of a single note or chord
simile
continue in the same manner as indicated
slur
play the notes legato
sonore
sonorous
sostenuto
sustained